Dream a Better Dream
by StudyInChocolate
Summary: Her dream always turn into reality, no matter how hard she runs and hide, the dream always get her. And what's up with her new annoying neighbor that suddenly popping up in her dream?
1. Chapter 1

**_It can be rated as M, but I will change the rating later and from this chapter 1 some triggers may be there. Readers advised. Oh, and this is un-beta-ed._**

* * *

 _._

 _"I have two kinds of dreams. The dream that I have everytime I sleep. Another is the dream that I see when I am awake."_

"I wish my dream would always stay as a dream."

It was winter night. The falling snows could easily mistaken as little stars in dark night. She was supposedly cold as she was standing in the middle of a road, barefoot, without coat. She was supposedly hurt, since she could feel blood trickling from her scalp and cheek.

She could not feel anything since it was not real. It was a dream.

A tall figure slowly approached her side. She had no idea or recollection of the face. She would have remembered of one gorgeous face. The person was looking at her with one sad smile and a relief.

The figure walked toward her with steady speed. She felt her body move, as if there was a magnet pulling her toward the person.

The hazy figure became clearer, under the dim street light, she could make out a sandy blond hair and handsome face.

She staggered forward, four weak steps and her body was falling.

The tall figure fastened their paces and met her body halfway in awkward embrace.

.

Beep... beep... beep...

She blinked, slowly opened her eyes only rudely awakened by morning sun and her alarm clock. Throwing her comforter sideways, she punched the alarm on her nightstand with annoyed groan.

She was not a morning person.

"Good dream?" The perpetrator who opened her window curtain to allow the first of sun ray bathing her room smiled.

"I have no idea." She murmured, hurriedly slipping in her slipper and went to open a drawer of her desk.

"You have one of those dreams." Her companion guessed, manouvering the room from the dirty laundy scattered around the floor. "You always assault your alarm everytime you have the 'dreams...'"

She pulled out a notebook from her drawer and a pen. "Yes, and I need to write it down before I forget."

"You can multitask and doing your laundry while you are on it, Michiru." Michiru's intruder eyed her dirty laundry as if they had personally offended her morning.

"Later. You know, Sets. If you hate my room so much, you can do my laundry instead." Michiru swatted her roommate's attempt to take a peek on her writing.

"Never." Setsuna scoffed. "So, what the dream is about now? Doomsday?"

Michiru shrugged without leaving her attention on her writing. At least doomsday would be less complicated and she could stop worrying about next week assignment by her professor. "No, I saw a stranger in the middle of winter and hugged them."

Setsuna raised an eyebrow, waiting for next elaboration. When none came, she prodded. "Was it romantic hug, desperate hug, accidental hug, or friendly hug?"

Michiru murmured, "No idea. I feel that it won't be a good thing."

"Well, see the positive side, perhaps you will meet with your true love." Setsuna quipped.

Michiru wanted to retort her best friend's jab, knowing that would follow would be a remark of her sad single life.

A doorbell interrupted them.

"Do you expect someone?" Michiru asked.

Setsuna shook her head, "perhaps it's the stranger you hugged in your dream."

Sighing tiredly, Michiru knew it was her job to answer the door since her best friend was in the state of half-naked after shower.

The doorbell rang again and this time Michiru half jogged to the door. She had been living on a rental flat with Setsuna for almost 3 years now. Setsuna was her childhood friend, her only friend in the godforsaken city. Despite their constant bickering, they were practically inseparable like sibling. Once, Setsuna's mother even joked to adopt Michiru into the family.

2 women living alone in a big city, a certain precaution were needed. The front door was equipped with most sophiticated alarm system and courtesy of Michiru herself, a dead bolt in case the alarm failed them.

Michiru peeked through the peephole.

And then gasped dramatically.

Damn Setsuna for being right.

.

.

Tenoh Haruka, a young amateur racer who just debuted her professional race on this season was standing awkwardly in front of an apartment door. One hand was holding a tray of baked cookies and whatever sweets her brother had thrown in together.

She pressed the doorbell and after 2 minutes getting no response, she pressed again. Her foot tapping, her other hand nervously combed back her sandy blond hair.

"What kind of person nowadays who give out cookies to new neighbors..." She quietly muttered under her breath. Her brother, Mamoru had insisted that they should introduce themselves to the new neighbors. Since the movers still moving in their boxes, one should monitor their things. Haruka would've preferred to company the movers and lifting boxes no matter how heavy they are. However, her brother suggested the most dreading solution.

They jang keng pong-ed and obviously, Haruka lost.

She had been handing cookies to the neighbors left and right. Both were kind families who praised Haruka as considerate and handsome 'young man'. She never corrected them, too tired to do so. The last one was the door across them. One of the old lady told them that the room was rented by two young college women. Both mostly kept with themselves and considered as quiet and good neighbor.

Too quiet that Haruka suspected there was nobody at home.

She decided to give up and joined her brother to see the movers off when the sound of a slided bolt heard from behind the door.

Haruka turned back and was greeted by a messy aqua-haired woman with dark circle under her eyes, looking straight at her with intense gaze.

"What do you want?" The tired-looking woman asked. Her eyes travelled from Haruka's face to a tray of cookies on her hand.

Haruka reacted a second too late, hopefully the scary woman hadn't noticed her jaw dropping. "Ah, um... cookies. My brother and I just moved across the hall."

The woman eyed the cookies skeptically, never in her life, Haruka felt being scrutinized very much. And she was holding cookies.

"No thanks. We are on diet." With that final words, the woman retreated back inside her apartment and slided the dead bolt back on the door with a great thud.

Haruka's jaw dropped for the second time. That was smooth introduction.

.

.

Michiru took a deep breath after she slammed the door shut. Setsuna who was fully clothed this time, was appraising Michiru's expression with curious eyes.

"Who was that?"

Michiru glared at her, daring her friend to approach and peek.

Setsuna who knew Michiru for a long time, stood unfazed and slipped from her best friend to take a peek on the door.

"That is one gorgeous lad." Setsuna smiled, liking what she found from the peephole. "Are those cookies?"

Michiru looked at her friend incredulously. "That one gorgeous 'lad' is the person in my dream!" exasperated, Michiru hissed.

Setsuna now was facing the flushed Michiru. "Why are you so angry? He is good loking."

"He is a woman, Sets." Michiru deadpanned.

Setsuna opened her mouth, about to deny Michiru's claim but instead she turned her gaze back to the peephole to get a second look. Out of the two, Setsuna had to admit that Michiru was the most observant one.

"My mistake, she has nice sculpted ass." Setsuna now was liking the scenery more.

"Stop being a pervert old man and help your friend here." Michiru had to practically drag her roommate from the door on to the kitchen.

"What's the damage, Michi?"

"You know my dream always comes true at some point. I don't even know that woman and now she appears out of nowhere with cookies in hand! I have a bad feeling about it. Beside, in my dream, the background of where that stranger and I are standing is not butterflies and flower!"

Setsuna's expression turned serious, "what do you mean?"

"It was snowing, and there was blood… I'm not… I think something happened… I'm not sure."

Setsuna frowned. Indeed, she never liked the idea of her best friend being hurt.

"Well, winter is coming, perhaps we just wait and see… we will make sure that you won't wandering around in the middle of night alone."

Michiru wished that things were simple as that.

.

.

"How are the neighbors?" A dark haired man greeted Haruka in the living room. Their apartment was still full of unopened boxes. Both siblings prioritize all electronics to be unboxed, especially the video game. The rest could wait.

"Good news, the neighbor across the hall was a mental case." Haruka grunted and made a beeline toward the kitchen.

Mamoru chuckled, "surely the can't be that bad. Did you smile?"

Haruka poured a bowl of cereal. "No, I was petrified before had a chance to do so."

Mamoru now let out a full-blown laugh, "well, perhaps we can try to greet them later this evening. Not everyone is a morning person."

Haruka shrugged, she didn't care the slightest and planned to skip that one. Now she needed to find in which box they had stored the milk.

"I need to go practice today, probably will be late." Haruka said from behind the counter.

Mamoru nodded, "good luck then. Since your car will arrive on Friday, do you want me to pick you up?"

The blond woman now gave up in searching the milk and ate her cereal dry. "I'm not 5, I can take the subway."

Mamoru lifted a small blue box and opened it. He pulled out a container of milk from the box with a small smirk.

Haruka had emptied her bowl. "You jerk, if you knew why didn't you tell me?"

"You never bothered to ask your dear brother."

Haruka huffed in annoyance, sent a playful punch to her brother's shoulder which he then skillfully blocked.

.

* * *

.

The days passed in a blur. Michiru spent days inside the room to work with her endless assignment that due the next day. She ordered a take-out and didn't come out unless to convenience store to stock up waters and coffee. In the evening, Setsuna attempted to ask her to accompany her to one of her blind dates.

"This is the 6th time already, Sets. I think you need to find a real guy in real life, not on some suspicious dating website." Michiru advised her friend.

"At least I date. You need it, you know. God knows you are beautiful and talented but you prefer to hole up inside this apartment and spend nights with your dirty laundry."

Michiru pouted, Setsuna was always like this, turning her own argument against her and Michiru would be the one who lose in the end.

"Fine! But I cannot pull the fire emergency alarm like last time…" Setsuna's last date was awful guy with awful breath who had been trying very hard to steal Setsuna's kiss. Her horrified best friend could only do much to dodge the tongue and stinky breath. Michiru had to burn a napkin to create a false fire-alarm to rescue her best friend.

"I promise you will not need to do that." Setsuna did cross over her own heart.

Michiru had no option, beside she would be worried for her friend anyway.

.

Setsuna's date seemed very familiar. A tall silver-haired and neat looking business man with perfect white teeth and strong grip of handshake. Michiru squinted a little when that said man nodded at her while politely kissed the back of her palm like she was kind of princess.

For once, Setsuna's date was too perfect and Michiru knew that her best friend had fallen deep the moment her gaze met with the perfect gentleman.

"Koh. Koh Kaoru." He introduced himself with deep voice. If he was offended of Setsuna who brought her best friend on their date, he did well to hide it. All night the man named Kaoru had charmed Setsuna with his tales of adventure as business man in multinational company. He had travelled to Egypt until China and his last adventure was to a small city near Venice where he almost gotten lost while riding a small boat.

His tale was too outrageous and Michiru thought he should be a fiction writer.

Then Kaoru unfastened his tie and button as more wine poured into their glass. That moment, Michiru noticed his necklace. It was like hit by a train when flashback from the dream 2 weeks before came over Michiru.

A man, with Kaoru's face but different hair color was pointing a gun to an unarmed man on what seemed to be a deck of ship. The unarmed man was standing on what it seemed to be a plank as more men standing behind Kaoru.

"Deal is a deal, no supply then our deal is off." Kaoru said with different tone of voice. His voice wasn't sweet and smooth anymore as dark feature took over her expression.

"We've got your merchandise, Kaoru-sama… "

"I demanded 2 and you got me 1. What the fuck do I do with only 1 container of merchandise?"

"Smuggling people is not easy, we…" The unarmed man tried to defend himself and desperately buying his time. Michiru wondered if the man cannot swim.

A shot and then the man went silence. Kaoru's bullet had found the way to his head. The body fell down sideways from the deck of the ship and what happened next was the most horrifying view Michiru ever seen.

The water was full of swimming sharks.

Turning her head away, Michiru's gaze fell to the smiling expression of the man Michiru could not recognize anymore. The man walked toward a big container and when one of the men pulled open the door, Michiru could see dozens of women stacked inside with fearful expression.

The flashback ended as Michiru was now snapped out of her daydream and got back to the present with Setsuna and… the evil business man.

"Michiru, are you alright?" Setsuna asked her best friend. She had been stopping to listen Kaoru's grand adventures the moment Michiru's face had gone paler.

"No, I'm not. We need to go home." Michiru's eyes frantically found Setsuna's. Pleading silently for both of them to get out of the place and faraway from the man before them.

Setsuna always trusted Michiru's instinct. Handsome gentleman or not, if Michiru's gut said no, then she will comply.

Setsuna abruptly cut her date short.

.

The next day in morning news, both women watched the man they both had met and had dinner with was arrested as suspect of human illegal smuggling and several murders.

Setsuna choked on her eggs while Michiru watched the news with knowing expression.

"It's in your dream?" Setsuna would never get used to with her best friend's clairvoyant ability.

"He murdered a man and feed him to the sharks." Michiru explained in simple sentence. She knew it would happen, she had seen it in her dream, even though like that, she could never ever get to change the course of her dream. It must be happen, it cannot change, no matter how hard she tried otherwise.

Setsuna eyed her bestfriend carefully. "Do you think the new neighbor will do something to hurt you?"

Michiru shrugged, that was one of the dreams that had confused her the most.

.

* * *

.

One afternoon Haruka came back from practice, she met the scary woman across the hall. This time she appeared neater and had her wavy haired up into a pony tail. The woman seemed talking with one delivery guy that Haruka noticed from her favorite Chinese restaurant in neighborhood.

"I didn't order chicken, you can take it back,"

"But miss, I only deliver this one, and I need to get back with 200 yen more." The delivery man practically begged.

"Unacceptable, why do I have to pay someone's order mistake?"

The woman was still scary even though she looked cuter today.

What? Cuter?

Haruka tiptoed carefully to avoid the confrontation. She wished she could transform herself into thin air and went inside her apartment unnoticed.

"Miss, we apologize for the misdelivery but the receipt said that you did order the chicken."

"I cannot even eat chicken!" Michiru glared at delivery man.

Haruka, a pacifist, could not turn blind eye with situation. She practically walked in between her neighbor and poor delivery man.

"Alright, let me pay that item, is that okay?"

The delivery man's expression could not be happier when Haruka handed the cash to the man.

After he was gone, she extended the order to the still fuming woman.

"I could've handled that one." Haruka's neighbor said.

"I simply try to prevent murder over a bowl of chicken. I plan to live in this apartment for at least next 5 years. So, if you please can accept this one and get it over with…"

Michiru eyed Haruka with the same skeptical gaze like few days ago. How dare that woman to assume she could do murder on delivery man…

"Setsuna and I cannot eat chicken, we are on diet." The aqua-haired woman turned away from Haruka and for the second time, slammed her door shut in front of the blond's face.

Haruka's jaw dropped.

 _Unbelievable woman!_

 _._

After the chicken incident, Haruka did her best to avoid one particular neighbor. She had met the other woman named Setsuna Meioh and the tall woman seemed nicer and more normal compared to the aqua-haired woman. Her brother had done formal introduction to both women and informed Haruka that the aqua-haired woman was rather unique and beautiful. Her name was Kaioh Michiru.

Her brother said that both women had noticed Haruka as a woman in first glance, actually, he remarked. Kaioh Michiru had noticed that the blond haired racer was a woman.

Kaioh Michiru. Haruka made a mental note. The name was too beautiful for someone that was too… weird.

Next day, someone tapped her shoulder while she was locking her apartment door. Haruka's eyes widened as she saw the aqua-haired woman standing behind her on the hall with a black umbrella in hand.

"Good morning." Kaioh Michiru made a simple greeting.

Haruka shifted awkwardly so she could fully face her neighbor and had her back leaned against her apartment door.

"I don't want to have any kind of debt so… here." She thrust the umbrella to Haruka.

With confused expression, Haruka stared at the black umbrella that was now rested on her hand. "But the weather forecast said it will be sunny all day."

Michiru smiled a thin smile and then Haruka thought that the smile suited the woman perfectly.

"You will need it later." Michiru turned and for the third time in Haruka's life, slammed the door shut in front of the blond's face.

That day, the moment Haruka stepped away from the subway station, it was raining cat and dogs.

.

* * *

.

On Friday morning Michiru jerked awake from a very horrible nightmare.

A confused Setsuna met her on living room, surprised with early riser Michiru wandering around on the kitchen.

"What are you doing, Michi?"

Michiru turned and Setsuna now could clearly see the trail of tears on her best friend's face. Something had gone totally wrong and Setsuna had to gulp away her fear before throwing her next question.

"Who dies?"

The flashes of image of people dressed in black gathering around one coffin.

The image flashed again as Michiru herself was standing alone beside the graveyard in the middle of pouring rain.

The image flashed again as a black umbrella shielded her from the falling rain.

Michiru didn't answer, instead looking away from Setsuna's frightened eyes. Her knees gave away as she slumped and screamed hysterically with new fresh tears running down her eyes.

Michiru could not unsee the name of her best friend crafted on the tomb.

.

.

* * *

Haruka's morning started with a phone call from Mamoru who had been working overnight in university. He called because he had left important document in the house.

"You know that I need to pick up my car today, right?" Haruka grumbled and did stretching on her stiff neck. "Ouch, I think I pulled a muscle on my neck."

"I'm sorry, I just forgot that I have important meeting today and I need that manuscript today. I keep ointment for stiff muscle inside my nightstand drawer." Mamoru supplied.

"I got it, I will be there." Haruka sighed. Stiff neck was not her favorite thing in the morning.

"Thanks sis."

The blond racer heard it as she locked her apartment door. The sound of screaming and sobbing from across the hall could be heard. She was quite adept in picking up someone's voice and undoubtedly the scream came from Kaioh Michiru.

In reflex, Haruka's feet made across the hall. Her hand had lifted as her knuckles were ready to rap the door.

However, the blond had hesitated. She wondered if she would cross the boundaries if she overstepped someone else's business.

The sobbing sound subsided and Haruka had helplessly stood in front of the door until the crying sound totally ceased.

.

Mamoru had called her cell 3 times. It was her fault to unconsciously stand like a fool in front of her neighbor's door without a sense of time.

She was 15 minutes late.

"What took you so long?" Mamoru was neither angry or upset, he was worried. It was very unusual of her sister to be late since she loved to go fast.

"I got hold up."

Mamoru had no time to pry further since he had to attend the meeting. "See you in home."

Haruka nodded and turned to go to her next appointment.

On the way outside from the campus, her shoulder bumped into someone. Haruka quickly apologized as she took a glimpse of silver-hair under a black cap and dark hoodie. The guy looked somewhat in hurry as he lowered his cap to reply Haruka's quick apology.

The blond racer did not give the man second glance as she needed to get to pick up her car in the evening.

.

Haruka's car arrived. She had been waiting for her customized car to arrive. Her car got a new look with yellow light with red racing strips and features new turbo technology. She would be a very proud driver on the street.

The mechanic handed her the key with smiling voice. "Wish you ride safely. I hear it will be snowing tonight."

Haruka shook her head, "I just want to bring her for test drive tonight."

They ended their transaction in separate ways. She got in and immediately greeted by the smell of new leather inside her car. With satisfied smile, she brought the new engine to live.

She got around the neighborhood for few turns and made a detour to buy milk. Both she and Mamoru were helpless in kitchen, and cereal is like rice in the morning. Today was her turn to stock the refrigerator.

Haruka helped an old lady reach the high aisle on milk section. She grumbled about the lack of staffs that supposedly helping her. Haruka's shopping experience was complete when the cashier had overpriced her grocery. It wasn't until the old lady that she had helped earlier pointing it out of the overpriced milk.

The staff apologized profusely and gave Haruka a voucher discount with free box of chocolates.

The first snow fell and it landed softly on her windshield.

Her cell phone rang and Mamoru's name flashed on the caller ID. Haruka picked it up once she had safely parked her car on the side of the road. She got out of her car to enjoy scenery of first snow. She recalled few childhood memories of playing with snow.

"Did you get the milk?"

"I did, even I bought two." Haruka replied with a proud tone. She extended her palm, trying to catch the falling snow.

"You fool, what if it goes beyond the expired date? Who would drink the milk that much in 3 days?" Mamoru laughed of her sister's antic.

Honestly Haruka hadn't thought that way. Guess she would be the one who drink the other container in three days.

"Anyway I want to inform you to take another route from the 7th street. I saw on the news there was a nasty accident there." Mamoru said.

Now that Haruka paid attention to the background noise from her brother's side, she could make out sound of ambulance and police siren. 7th street was close to the university where her brother was working, well the only university in the city.

"Are you okay?"

"Nah, I'm ok. Just stuck on traffic, make sure you avoid the route, got it?"

Haruka was no fool, of course she would avoid any traffic jam in the city. "Sure. Gimme a ring if you need a rescue." Haruka said with a light tone. She could take her bike and pick up Mamory from nightmare of traffic, but that was the last resort since her brother had been hiding his dislike with Haruka's bike. It had been struggle to get his permission to buy it, moreover to ride it.

It was an hour later when she got home, Haruka turned on the news.

There was a shooting in Mugen Campus ground and 7 people had died tonight.

.

Haruka never liked the funeral. She guessed, no one liked it even a bit. The gloomy atmosphere, the smell of freshly dug sand, echo of sobbing and crying, and what terrifying the most was the hollow expression of loved ones that left.

The collar of her shirt was uncomfortably jabbing her neck. Haruka had to repeatedly fixed her tight collar and finally gave up when she undid the first button of her black shirt. A hand was on her shoulder as she turned her head and met with Mamoru's chiding expression. He helped Haruka to fix the collar and re-clasped the first button once again.

"Bear with it sis, it's almost over."

"I know, I just can't…" Haruka averted her gaze, anywhere but her brother's deep brown eyes.

"I understand." Mamoru made a motion with her head toward one particular person.

Her wavy aqua-hair stood out the most among black suit and dressed clad people. Her cheeks were hollow as her expression was grim like the atmosphere.

However there were no tears spilled from Kaioh Michiru's eyes. She stood back straight, eyes never wavered from the black coffin where her best-friend had finally rested.

Meioh Setsuna was one of seven victims from Mugen campus shooting.

A convict had escaped that day, known as Koh Kaoru, drug and human smuggler also known as the silver fox. In last desperate attempt, the man wanted to take revenge of those who had unfolded his criminal organization. His effort had brought him to his last date the night he was arrested by police thanks to an anonymous tip of very concern citizen.

He didn't care how, he only concerned of who. His search of the anonymous tipper had brought him to Mugen campus ground and certain name of username Queen of the Time. It wasn't coincidence as he had met Meioh Setsuna as the 'Time Queen' as her username. From then on it was elementary. He had successfully brought down his destroyer and killed himself afterward. Silver Fox would be forever written and remembered in history.

Haruka recounted the story that the press had published. Somehow it was a tragedy as other 6 people became casualties because they had been in wrong time and place.

In cold February, strangely the rain poured suddenly. Haruka had silently made her way to the aqua-haired woman who still hadn't moved an inch from her initial place. It seemed that she had rooted on the spot the moment her best friend buried 6 feet underground.

"Kaioh-san…" Haruka called her softly.

It was ridiculous idea that actually she had brought the umbrella Michiru had borrowed her days ago into the funeral. Her instinct did not fail her as Michiru's words echoed inside her head that day.

 _You will need it later._

.

The grieving ceremony for family was held on the apartment. Her brother helped the family to serve the guests. Haruka could not help it but commented on her brother's very kind nature.

Haruka's eyes frantically searching for familiar aqua color-hair.

Where is she?

The blond quietly made her way outside and caught the elevator who just made its way up to the roof.

Haruka hurriedly took the emergency stairs.

She was a very good runner in high school. Had been practicing with her speed until an accident made her dream as professional runner went out of the window. Left with a weak left ankle, Haruka shifted her dream into a professional racer. She had found comfort in speed and wind. Now that she had to take 7 floors and hundred staircases, she felt her old wound jabbed mercilessly.

Her gut felt wrong and her instinct flared all over the place. The feeling itself that made her keep running climbing the never ending stairs toward the roof.

She took a second to catch her breath after she pushed open forcefully the emergency door of the roof apartment building.

In the middle of the dark pouring night, the aqua haired woman always stood out as beautiful paradox.

"Kaioh… KAIOH!" Haruka had to shout to beat the wind and the rain. The woman was standing outside the edge of the railing.

Kaioh Michiru's head tilted slightly to her direction, her expression was defeated and sad smile graced her lips.

As Haruka hurriedly approached the woman, she halted her steps after Michiru shook her head.

4 steps more and she could grab her, pulled her over the railing into safety. However, one move more and the woman could fly away and lost from this world forever.

"Kaioh, don't do it. I… please," Haruka looked fearful. She had no idea what to do, what to say. The image of this woman who could be beautiful and scary at the same time, weird and a bit nice on the next second, observant but careless…

"Tenoh, isn't it?"

"… you can call me Haruka."

Michiru looked dejected, her face upward, welcoming the pouring rain on her face.

"I was cursed and no one believes me."

Haruka extended her hand toward Michiru, carefully took a step forward. "I will believe you."

Michiru chuckled, "don't. The last person who believed me had been buried six feet underground today. Whatever I do, try to do the right thing, I can't make it right, I can't change it."

"I will change it. I will make it right." Haruka said it with firm determination even herself can believe it right now.

"You have no idea what I am talking about." Michiru sniffed.

"I will learn, if you tell me enough. Tell me everything, Kaioh. I will listen, I will believe you, and I will change it."

Michiru smiled, the most sincere smile Haruka had ever witnessed. "That's very sweet of you, Haruka. Your words make me warm… you can call me Michiru."

That second Haruka dreaded that she had lost with fate.

"If this is my dream, I need to wake up…" Michiru bowed her head. "If this is _your_ dream…" The aqua-haired looked up at Haruka with hopeful gaze.

"If this is _your_ dream… thank you." Michiru let go of the railing as she fell backward to the endless night.

Haruka jumped forward, trying in vain to reach the woman's hand. Her finger only grazed Michiru's hair before the woman slipped away forever from her hold. Falling down 12 stories below.

"… No… NOOOO!"

.

.

* * *

 **This is Twoshot afterall**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own no Sailormoon**

* * *

.

The blond racer rudely jerked awake from her bed and tumbling down onto the floor. Her head connected with her nightstand with a loud thud. Her morning started in spectacular fashion.

As she was fully opened her eyes while her hand rubbed her sore temple, Haruka nervously stared at her surrounding.

She was on her bed, inside her bedroom.

Her phone rang, made her heart jumped for second time in the morning. Mamoru's name flashed on the screen.

"Hey Haruka. I'm sorry I wake you early. Actually today I have a meeting with the dean and I forgot to bring the manuscript."

The conversation sounded familiar. Haruka opened her mouth but nothing came out to reply her brother.

"Haruka, are you there?"

"Uhm, yes. Yeah, I'm here."

"Are you okay? You sound… off?" Mamoru's voice laced with concern.

"I bumped my head hard on the nightstand." Haruka replied honestly.

"I have ointment for bruises on my desk drawer. The manuscript also in my…"

"I got it, I'm going." Haruka disconnected the call. She turned back on her phone screen.

The funeral was on Sunday, but strangely the day on her phone was Friday February 8th. She scrolled down her unread messages. The mechanic sent her a text about her car that she could pick up tonight.

Damnation… what happened?

All of that was a dream?

.

While she was showering, Haruka was sure she had gone batshit crazy. The TV, newspaper, online website, all stated that today was February 8th Friday. All the things she had witnessed was a nightmare.

But those were felt real.

Methodically, the blond racer freshened up and made sure she bring jacket with her. It will snow tonight.

The crying sound across the hall was heard again and right now, Haruka got to knock on the door and pressed the doorbell repeatedly. She didn't care if her neighbor thought she was a nosey neighbor. She needed to make sure the occupants in the apartment was alright.

It was Meioh Setsuna who answered the door. The woman who had been dead in Haruka's dream looked shaken and pale. She only halfway opened the door as she left the chain unclasped.

"I… uhm, I just heard someone is crying. Is everything alright?"

Setsuna, despite her pale expression managed to give Haruka a nod. "Sorry with the noise, we are watching some melodrama in television. We will turn down the volume."

That was a weak excuse but Haruka couldn't help it anymore.

"Meioh-san… by chance, are you studying in Mugen University?"

Setsuna took a moment before answering, "No, Michiru is. I am taking part-time job as lecturer every Friday anyway."

The next thing Haruka did was perhaps had totally overstepped boundary, "Meioh-san, can you just not attend university today?"

The sad expression on Setsuna's face turned into surprised one, "excuse me?" Now the woman was looking at Haruka as she had grown a second head.

"It's just… it will be safe for you to stay inside today… uhm, tonight is snowing… it will be dangerous…" Haruka had run out of excuses.

"I need better reason to skip lecture than a little snow, Tenoh-san. Anyway, have a good day to you." The woman slammed the door shut on Haruka's face.

Great. Now both women had made that into habit to do that to her. Just great.

No matter how weird her dream was, perhaps she could get over her day as she planned. And crap, now she was late to deliver the manuscript.

Late again.

Haruka hurriedly went to catch the train and knowing surely she wouldn't make it in time, just like in her dream.

.

Haruka staggered inside Mamoru's office with disheveled look. She had been running from subway to the university to make up her time. Still she was late 15 minutes. Even by foot, she had to make a detour as the elevator in university was under maintenance. In her dream that elevator was simply full.

"What took you so long?" Mamoru asked again, he was neither angry or upset. His eyes travelled to Haruka's slightly limp left foot. "Did you run here?"

More like dashed… but Haruka simply sealed her lips. Still panting her breath, she pushed the manuscript folder toward her brother.

Mamoru seemed to discuss more about Haruka's way of fashion to get into his office. "We will talk later, don't forget to ice your ankle when you are at home." Mamoru said.

"Shoo shoo…" Haruka gestured to chase away Mamoru back inside the meeting room. Her ankle throbbed, but she already knew the consequences anyway.

On the way outside the campus instead of bumping with silver-haired stranger, Haruka met with Michiru on campus ground.

"What are you doing here?" Haruka had no recollection from her dream that Michiru was supposedly in the university.

"I study here. What are you doing here?" Michiru retorted.

Today the aqua-haired woman had forgone her ponytail style and simply let her wavy-hair down. Michiru's swollen eyes had expertly hidden under heavy make-up and mascara but despite all that, she still looked gorgeous, and being in the campus ground, the woman seemed to be in her element. Haruka eyed the paper rolls stick out from Michiru's canvas bag.

"My brother forgot something this morning…" Haruka didn't bother go into detail. Knowing that perhaps she had been too nosey this morning, Haruka gave Michiru a space.

"Setsuna skipped the lecture today." Michiru said when she noticed that the blond racer was about to leave.

Haruka halted her steps and turned toward Michiru, "… I'm sorry this morning. I was out of my mind, perhaps I sounded crazy but…" Haruka tried to justify her action this morning. What kind of person that suddenly appeared of nowhere and asked her neighbor to simply not go to work?

"No… you didn't sound crazy. I believe you." Michiru fidgeted on her feet.

Haruka's eyes widened. This conversation was too familiar. The image of certain aqua-haired woman slipped away from her hand and falling down…

Haruka shook her head, Michiru was staring at her with confused gaze.

"Kaioh-san, do you want a cup of coffee?"

Haruka bit her lip, now that she replayed her own voice inside her head, it sounded like… like asking her out for a date.

Michiru was a bit startled by Haruka's invitation. However, she honestly was curious about the blond's reason of her outburst this morning.

"uhm.. I would like to but… I need to do some assignment." Michiru cursed herself as she felt her cheek turned hot.

"How about after that? I need to pick up my car and…" buy milk. Haruka made a mental note.

"Alright. After 6?" Michiru cut the blond's rambling too quickly.

Haruka nodded in relief. Now that Meioh Setsuna out of harm's way supposedly the nightmare was over, right?

Right?

.

After picking up her car, Haruka skipped the grocery store and raced back toward the University. Her gut feeling still felt like something was missing.

She hadn't bumped into the silver-haired guy meant that somehow the threat was still lurking. She felt so stupid and cheated. She kicked herself as she forgot to ask Kaioh Michiru's phone number.

Haruka had sped away 2 red lights and she could not be more careless. Mamoru would scold her, that will come later, the important thing was Kaioh.

She was crazy, Haruka felt her mind slipping. Just because one nightmare, that couldn't be more real… she had done something like this.

She had nothing to lose anyway, except one sad girl that probably could end her own life just because she unable to do anything to change the fate.

Haruka just simply needed to be faster than fate to change it. Faster and faster until fate could not catch up with her.

From different direction, Haruka's eyes caught a glimpse of royal sleek black sedan passed her. She might be not very observant of people, but she was always paying attention to detail of any model of car. She recalled from her nightmare that the convict was driving a black sedan he had stolen from the nearby street. And that car right now was like her, breaking speed rule from the campus ground.

The blond racer abruptly made a U-turn and floored her gas pedal.

Her bad feeling was reaching on its peak now.

.

* * *

.

Michiru had so many questions in her head now. Starting this morning when she woke up after she had dreamt of her best friend's funeral. Minutes later, her neighbor told her best friend to not go outside and to stay inside the apartment.

She took a gamble. To believe and not believe her blond neighbor. It's true that Tenoh Haruka had made appearance in few of her dreams. All in same manner, that she staggered to hug her in the middle of the street, blood and snow.

She chose to believe Haruka.

Setsuna always believed her so she agreed to take day off from university. Michiru though had to deliver the assignment that suddenly had advance deadline to be today. Her professor appeared to have messed up with dates.

Her encounter with Haruka on campus ground was rather surprising. She wanted to ask many questions of why she had asked her best friend to stay put today and how the blond had known that it will snow tonight.

And indeed, it snowed, despite the weather forecast had said.

She had accepted Haruka's invitation for a coffee. It was awkward but she needed to get over with. So after 6pm she walked off toward the campus gate. Michiru was taken by surprise when she was greeted by a black sedan stopped abruptly in front of her. She had been late to react when the driver got out, silver hair beneath the black cap and awful necklace she had seen previous nights ago.

The Koh Kaoru, silver fox.

The smirk of that man was the last thing Michiru had seen before her sight turned black.

.

The first thing she had noticed when she came around was the smell. The smell of ice and smoke and how her head was throbbing while her body was sore all over the place.

Michiru found herself strapped on a passenger car's seatbelt. She tried to calm herself before assessing her situation. It looked like the car she was in had wrecked violently into a pole while she turned her gaze, she found the damage mostly happened on the driver's side. There was so much blood and Michiru turned her sight away from the sight of driver's body.

The man could be dead and she didn't care. She needed to get out of the car.

Manouvering her way out of the broken seatbelt was not an easy task. Thankfully she able to kick open the car door. Screaming for help was in her mind but it seemed that the car was wrecked in the middle of deserted street. It was no wonder since the snow had practically buried the road and most people prefer to not drive on slippery road.

Her ears were ringing, Michiru just realized. She barely able to pick up a voice from distant away or so it sounded between her ringing ears.

"…OH! KAIOH!"

Michiru turned her head sideways. And then she saw it.

A familiar tall figure approached her with steady steps. The hazy figure with sandy blond hair walked toward her under poorly lit street lamp. The figure was no stranger anymore, she knew who was it.

"Kaioh!" The steady pace turned into a limp jog and once the figure reached her side that Michiru could make out her face clearly.

Tenoh Haruka with worried and bruised expression was looking at her. Her dream couldn't be more true.

With one violent jerk, Michiru was freed from the darn seatbelt. She swung her legs and tried to stand by her own, anywhere, faraway from the horrible car.

Anywhere… and she fell into Haruka's embrace.

"Hey, Kaioh… you are okay." Haruka whispered soothingly. Michiru could feel the blond's hand trembled or it was her own body who trembled, she had no idea.

"How?" Michiru asked. She had guesses.

"I knew the car had taken you, somehow, I saw it in my dream… I tried to chase you… I can't be fast enough, I crashed my car as last resort, I'm sorry I had no choice… I made sure I crashed it on driver's side."

Michiru had lost track of Haruka's words after the first sentence. The blond had dreamt… a nightmare and…

"I knew it was stupid, and you won't believe me but my dream…" Haruka tried to explain.

"I believe you." Michiru said in hoarse voice. "Because it's me…. I believe you…"

Haruka gulped the rest of her words. The Michiru in her dream, that she had lost…

"I promised to you that I will change it. I'll change it…"

Michiru fully stared at Haruka with pure admiration. She understood everything. "And you keep the promise." She absentmindedly trace a bruise that now marking Haruka's cheek to her neck.

"I almost didn't."

Michiru smiled, the more beautiful smile than the one Haruka had witnessed in her nightmare. "You know, I often wish for my dream to stay as a dream… but right now I wish that this is not a dream."

"I have double checked it, Kaioh. Bumped my head on steering wheel and I cannot be more awake." Haruka joked. Her warm breath tickled Michiru's nose.

"You can call me Michiru." Haruka raised an eyebrow.

"You can call me, Haruka."

In Michiru's dream they never kissed, and the aqua-haired woman had to make a better reality than her dream as she tilted her head up and kissed her blond stranger.

.

.

.

.

* * *

 _ **This story was inspired by a Korean drama titled: while you are sleeping. I suggest you check the drama out, it's awesome and inspiring. I just meddled with SM characters since canon Michiru has similar ability to have clairvoyant dreams.**_

 _ **Anyway I hope you enjoy the story and leave some thoughts about this. See you in my next story, folks.**_


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